CVE-2026-97921Public exploitHinoki check available

Kernel memory leak via rejected histogram modifiers

Published Sep 25, 2026 · Updated Sep 25, 2026

Memory leak in Linux kernel tracing allows local users to repeatedly consume kernel memory via rejected field modifiers. __create_val_field() checks modifiers before placing the parsed field in hist_data->fields[], then returns on error without freeing the field or its operand. Writing malformed triggers requires tracefs access; repeated invalid writes accumulate unreachable kernel allocations and deplete available memory.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Oct 19, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkAvailable
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in Linux kernel tracing allows local users to repeatedly consume kernel memory via rejected field modifiers. __create_val_field() checks modifiers before placing the parsed field in hist_data->fields[], then returns on error without freeing the field or its operand. Writing malformed triggers requires tracefs access; repeated invalid writes accumulate unreachable kernel allocations and deplete available memory.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-97921
Published
Sep 25, 2026
Updated
Sep 25, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
T1499.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 25, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 25, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=6.1.33 <6.2
  2. Affected versionversion=6.3.7 <6.4
  3. Affected versionversion=6.4
  4. Affected versionversion=7403630eb94c1d664fb873f967427ef2f6ee3699
  5. Affected versionversion=8d505d06d7330f5d67d3e5e9e1c647fb0b10ddad
  6. Affected versionversion=e30fbc618e97b38dbb49f1d44dcd0778d3f23b8c <230234d12ce42ab04132a32c3a848f07a5d27a71
  7. Affected versionversion=e30fbc618e97b38dbb49f1d44dcd0778d3f23b8c <891c21f6d5673b2a519b536243bfc6dd2d35beb6
  8. Affected versionversion=e30fbc618e97b38dbb49f1d44dcd0778d3f23b8c <b22dc0add7d72b8bd9cae3188db0dd65da1c8652
  9. Affected versionversion=e30fbc618e97b38dbb49f1d44dcd0778d3f23b8c <e787361bb6b0026ea3eb4d3fa7a304c7fcb99555

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=6.1.33 <6.2; version=6.3.7 <6.4; version=6.4; version=7403630eb94c1d664fb873f967427ef2f6ee3699; version=8d505d06d7330f5d67d3e5e9e1c647fb0b10ddad; version=e30fbc618e97b38dbb49f1d44dcd0778d3f23b8c <230234d12ce42ab04132a32c3a848f07a5d27a71; version=e30fbc618e97b38dbb49f1d44dcd0778d3f23b8c <891c21f6d5673b2a519b536243bfc6dd2d35beb6; version=e30fbc618e97b38dbb49f1d44dcd0778d3f23b8c <b22dc0add7d72b8bd9cae3188db0dd65da1c8652; version=e30fbc618e97b38dbb49f1d44dcd0778d3f23b8c <e787361bb6b0026ea3eb4d3fa7a304c7fcb99555

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 22, 2026Sep 28, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 28, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.001OS Exhaustion Flood

Public exploit references

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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